John Boehner: ‘Obamacare is the law of the land’

House Speaker John Boehner made it official Thursday: Obamacare isn’t going anywhere.

In an interview with ABC News, Boehner seemed to suggest the election ended any efforts to wipe out the whole law. When “World News” anchor Diane Sawyer asked if there would be any more votes to repeal the law, Boehner said “the election changes that” and “Obamacare is the law of the land.”

Text Size

He said, however, that some parts of the law should still be on the table when lawmakers start negotiating a deficit deal.

Boehner’s office quickly tried to walk back his comments within minutes after ABC News posted a story on the interview.

“While Obamacare is the law of the land, it is costing us jobs and threatening our health care. Speaker Boehner and House Republicans remain committed to repealing the law, and he said in the interview it would be on the table,” Boehner spokesman Kevin Smith said in a statement.

Boehner pushed back on Twitter, too: "ObamaCare is the law of the land, but it is raising costs and hurting #smallbiz. Our goal remains #fullrepeal.”

Boehner’s office also released a transcript of that part of the interview, in which Boehner says: “I think there are parts of the healthcare law that are gonna be very difficult to implement. And very expensive. And [at] the time when we're tryin' to find a way to create a path toward a balanced budget everything has to be on the table.”

He adds: “There certainly may be parts of it that we believe need to be changed. We may do that. No decisions at this point.”

In a way, Boehner was just acknowledging the obvious: With President Barack Obama back in the White House for another four years, and the Senate still firmly in Democratic hands, a full repeal of the health care law is out of the question. Targeted repeal of unpopular parts of the law — or efforts to scale back some parts — might be a different story.

But by declaring that “Obamacare is the law of the land,” Boehner may have gone further to acknowledge a painful truth than many Republicans really would have liked.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 6:19 p.m. on November 8, 2012.

Readers' Comments (42)

Good. Now it is time for those that are sucking the system to pay up. Thank you Barack Obama. Thank you for making poor people pay for their health care.

Can you also raise taxes on those who don't pay any federal income taxes? Those deadbeats that get away with making little money a year and have tons of kids that are also sucking the money out of our system. Also, tax the rich so that they make less money.

EVERYONE MUST PAY TAXES THE SAME WAY THAT EVERYONE MUST PAY HEALTH CARE.

Do something that you were elected to do - Govern! Obamacare while well intentioned is a flawed piece of legislation. Sit down and IMPROVE it. There are parts of the bill that most people like and there's other parts which belong in the trash.

most Americans are just one doctor's visit from financial ruin. Trying leading sometime.

The same old John Boehner. He says something rational and statesman-like, then backtracks on it after taking a beating from Republican radicals behind closed doors.

The plutocratic takeover was largely stopped Tuesday -- at least temporarily -- but the plutocrats certainly succeeded in buying the House elections, resulting in another two years of Americans suffering the most dysfunctional, least liked, most obstructionist and most -do-nothing bunch in modern U.S. history.

Where is my $2,500 dollar savings Obama promised ? The cost of healthcare has risen so dramatically that those of us with insurance..will not be able to afford to use it. Higher out of pocket expenses, higher prices for meds and hospital visits.

You know what I really love? I love that the GOP took the word "Obamacare" and equated it with the likes of Communism. Many Democrats, even the President, decided to use the "Affordable Care Act," which of course is its official name.

By the time the Democratic Convention came around, Dems and the President, decided to own the word "Obamacare." It became their badge of honor.

Now President Obama is around for another term. John Boehner says "Obamacare is the law of the land."

When the history books are being written, Obamacare will be there. The President will be immortalized and we have the GOP to thank.

in no uncertain terms he should tell his base "move on". The GOP doesn't seem too ever learn a lesson. I truly believe since 1994 and Newt the GOP becomes more strident and dumber politically every year after year.

Where is my $2,500 dollar savings Obama promised ? The cost of healthcare has risen so dramatically that those of us with insurance..will not be able to afford to use it. Higher out of pocket expenses, higher prices for meds and hospital visits.

-------------------------------------------------

Did your health insurance premiums increase during the 10 years preceeding Obamacare, when, on average, health insurance premiums more than doubled?

Did your copays increase at all during the 10 years preceeding Obamacare? Mine did...considerably.

If you can answer no to those two questions, you may have a point. If you answer yes to either question, then you are doing nothing more than squawking....and you have no valid point to make.

Obamacare IS communism, socialism and all of the other nasty isms of Alinsky, Cloward and Piven and the progressive lefties.

Obama proclaimed that everyone must play by the same rules. He forgets to remind his brainless zombie followers that he's exempted himself, the White House staff and administration, legislators, union thugs and other cronies who ponied up lots of payola to buy the White House - using much of our Stimulus money. They get waivers or they get Rolls Royce plans in which they don't have government choosing their doctors and approving their medical procedures.

We peons have to give up our doctors (when they won't take the government plan and medicare) and then get permission from the IPAB for medical procedures we need. Then look at all of the IRS forms that have to be filed, the access to our electronic banking, etc. Obamacare IS SOCIALISM and communism.

Enough said. Play by the same rules, indeed. What a hypocrite president. What a phoney.

yep . first order of business, End the chimp Cheney tax cuts for the rich. That is what got us in this mess in the first place. The rich will be paying there fare share. And if the Republicon party keeps up with there are way or the high way bull s they will never see the white house again in our life time.

Ha ha ha . I don't know if im happy Obama gave Romney and shalacking or if the burn is better all the stupid fox news hacks got burned . Who's packing you dumb southern hill rods . Go back to school and learn something. You should try landscaping your trailer trash trailers. And try to not be so racist. Obama is your president . You are the minority and you better get use to it for the next 20 years.